Just Like Old Nightmares
by Navy-Thunder
Summary: Josh recieves a letter from someone he hasn't seen in the longest time...How will he deal with it? First D&J Fanfic for me, so no flames please!
1. Chapter 1

**Just Like Old Nightmares**

**Pairing: Josh Nichols/Mindy Crenshaw**

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**Part 1**

Boy…what a way to hit off a Saturday, Josh Nichols thought to himself as he read the letter in his hand over and over. He plopped down on his bed, and groaned quietly to himself.

"Yo, Josh!" Drake Parker hollered as he opened the door of their bedroom. "Mindy's downstairs. Don't you two have a study session right about now?"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot." Josh stuffed the letter in his pocket before getting to his feet.

"Dude, you got to get over that letter." Drake said, shaking his head. "Reading it over and over is not helping the situation."

"I don't want to see her, Drake. Plain and simple." Josh replied coldly. "I haven't seen her in twelve years and I sure as hell don't want to see her now."

Drake's eyes widened a bit; never in his life had he heard a swear word leave Josh's lips before. This whole thing was becoming more serious.

"Sorry, bro." Josh said softly, trying to keep his cool.

"Ah, it's cool." Drake answered. "…Well? Are you going downstairs to meet Mindy or not?"

"Right, sorry." Josh chuckled nervously, grabbing his science textbook and binder before stepping out of the room, Drake closing the door behind him.

* * *

"Okay, Josh, name three of the Noble Gases…Josh? Josh?"

Josh and Mindy Crenshaw, his longtime girlfriend, were sitting down on the couch in the living room, going over questions that would be on the biology test coming up.

"Huh? Wha?" Josh looked up from his 'trance' in a way to his girlfriend.

"Josh, what's going on with you?" Mindy wanted to know. "You're acting…well, so not you."

"I just got a lot on my mind. That's all." Josh shook his head.

"Oh boy…" Mindy murmured, setting her books aside. "Okay, Josh, studying can wait. What is it?"

"You don't want to hear about my problems…It's too much, even for me." Josh excused. He sighed softly, feeling her squeeze his hand in comfort. Mindy always seemed to know how to comfort him.

"Josh…I want to know what's bothering you…" Mindy said softly, tears welling up in her chocolate brown eyes. "You've never kept anything from me, and I never kept anything from you. We've always been able to open up and talk to each other. When you don't tell me things, I really think something beyond repair is happening to you…" Her voice started cracking at his point. "And you don't know how much that scares me."

"Mindy…" Josh swallowed hard, the combination of both the sad expression on his girlfriend's face and his own personal problems becoming too much. "I know you want to help me." He reached into his pocket, taking out the same letter. Mindy looked at the slightly crumpled up piece of paper before taking it in her hand and reading it over. It all became clear to her.

"Oh…" Mindy said in a soft whisper.

"Yeah…my mother's coming to visit."


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

"Josh, I don't get it...Why would she want to see you now after all this time?" Mindy questioned, fingering the letter in her hand.

"I really don't know." Josh shook his head. "I never wanted to talk about it in the first place, Mindy. I hate talking about my mother."

Mindy looked up into his eyes. "What happened to her? You never told me about it."

Josh sighed softly before speaking. "My mother couldn't stand being with my father. She thought it was 'below her' to be with a so-called failure like my dad. She said that being a weatherman was nothing but something people did when they couldn't do anything else."

"That's ridiculous. Your dad's a good guy." Mindy replied.

"Oh, but it gets worse..." Josh continued, his voice becoming more cold and callous with every word that left his mouth. "When she wrote her good-bye letter before she left to California to become a dance club bartender, she mentioned me. She mentioned how my dad is going to do nothing but make my life worthless. She also said she regretted every single thing that happened between her and my dad...Why she wants to come see me now, I don't know."

Mindy's jaw dropped. "Oh...Then I guess I understand why you don't want to see her."

"I'd rather run her over than be reunited with her." Josh shook his head.

"Now what's that going to do? You'll be no better than she is then." Mindy protested. "Just try and be yourself. You've got a good life here."

"I know I do. I got my real family and friends to thank for it." Josh cracked a smile, wrapping his arm around her.

"See? I got you smiling again." Mindy smirked, laying her head on his shoulder. She was glad that she and Josh could talk together like this. The ring of Mindy's cellphone was heard after that moment of piece. So much for this, Mindy thought to herself.

"Hold on a sec, Josh." Mindy stood up, taking her cellphone out from her pocket book and going into the kitchen to answer the call. After a couple of minutes, she went back to Josh. "Bad news. My mom said she's running a little late, and won't be able to pick me up. So...could I maybe spend the night here?"

Josh grinned. "Of course you could. But I think you may need to borrow some of Drake's clothes for the night."

"Drake's?" Mindy arched a brow. "No thank you. I'd rather use some of yours."

"Um, that works, too." Josh chuckled a bit. "Just go upstairs, pick out something, and I'll be here when you get back."

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After a while of searching through Josh's drawers, Mindy put on one of Josh's navy blue sweatshirts and a pair of white sweatpants. She then went back downstairs to the living room, where Josh already was wearing a white t-shirt and black sweatpants.

"You know, those are a good fit on you."

"Are you kidding me?" Mindy retorted. "These are far too big on me. But they were the smallest you had...God, I look like I've been on an eating binge."

"You do not." Josh shook his head. "You still look like the beautiful girl I love. Now come sit with me."

Mindy smiled, his words lifting her a little. She sat down next to him, watching him take the throw blanket from the couch and drape it around her. "Thanks...But you may need some." She laid her head on Josh's shoulder, moving in closer so the blanket came around both of them.

"Thanks, Mindy. Love you." Josh put his arm around her, kissing the top of her head. Mindy was already fast asleep, and that made Josh feel a lot better. Right now, his mother didn't matter. It was just him and Mindy, and he hoped it stayed that way...


End file.
